"It's my ulcer. It's acting up again. Maybe a glass of milk would help..." My God, Wes thought, she's only about 30 and she has an ulcer. I'd better get her to a doctor. He helped her to her feet and let her lean heavily on him. She almost collapsed but managed to stay on her feet. She looked up at him and said, "I've seen you before. It was Lindsey's wife's funeral. You finished the poem he was reciting for her."

"Lindsey was a friend. So was Rosemary. I'm Wesley Wyndham-Pryce, and I'd like to get you somewhere to get some medical attention."

"No, please, just take me to my hotel. I have medicine there. I can't go to the hospital because they might keep me there. Please!" Wes hailed a cab and Parker gave the driver the address of an expensive downtown hotel. He insisted on taking her up to her room, which turned out to be a suite. Two men were there, looking worried. Both men looked at her with great concern, even love.

"Parker, sit down. I'll get your medication," the older man said. Wes recognized him from the funeral as well. The younger man, a plain, balding man with sad, beautiful eyes and a tacky shirt sat down next to her. He's in love with her, but he'll never let her know it, Wesley thought. He seemed to be a very kind man although, to be honest, he was a nerd. She let him hold her hand, but she let Wesley hold the other. The other man came back with the medicine and she drank it down, letting go of the nerd's hand to hold the glass. She kept Wesley's hand, though!

"Syd, this is Wesley. He was at Rosemary MacDonald's funeral. He saw me having an attack in the park and brought me home. Wes, this is Sydney. He's a doctor, so he can take care of me. I really appreciate your bringing me here. By the way, how is Lindsey holding up? I could tell he was devastated." Sydney looked at him and appeared to care how Lindsey was doing as well.

"I wish I knew. The day after Wolfram and Hart was raided, he left town. He wrote me a note saying not to worry, and sent a check for what must have been just about all the money he had to his best friend. I haven't heard from him since. Neither has his friend Rob nor Father Brendan."

"I hope he's okay. I knew him in college, and I've always liked him." She suddenly remembered the man on the other side of her. Smiling fondly at him, she said, "This is Broots. There's nothing he can't do with a computer." Wes shook hands with him. Parker added, "I'd like to take you to dinner in return for helping me."

Wes shook his head, "No thanks are necessary. But I'd like to take you to dinner to make sure you eat right for your ulcer." He realized what that sounded like. What a stupid thing to say! But she was smiling. She nodded. "May I pick you up about 6?"

"I'll look forward to it." Wes practically danced out of the room, into the elevator, and out of the hotel. When he arrived back at Angel Investigations, he was still smiling from ear to ear. Angel and Cordelia gave each other one of those "what's up with him?" looks. "Do you need me tonight, Angel?" Wes asked.

"I don't think so. Cordy hasn't had any visions, so I think it may be a quiet one. Do you have plans?" Wesley blushed.

"You've met somebody!" Cordelia exclaimed. "Tell me about her? Is she an expert on ancient languages like you? Does she enjoy musty bookstores? Come on, Wes, fill us in!"

"I only met her today, but I had seen her before, at Rosemary's funeral. Evidently she is an old friend of Lindsey's. She was having an ulcer attack in the park, and I took her to her hotel. She's probably only going out with me out of gratitude."

"I remember seeing a couple of strangers at the funeral, but one was Lindsey's friend from law school, and she was with her fiancé. Was it the auburn-haired woman with the older man?" Wesley nodded. "She was very attractive, but I wouldn't have thought she was your type."

Wesley blushed again. Maybe Parker was just being nice. Maybe she'd try to get away early. He shouldn't get his hopes up. Where could he afford to take her, anyway? He was living hand to mouth. She was obviously used to the finer things in life. Just then Angel handed him a credit card. "Take her someplace nice on the firm, Wes. You've more than deserved it. Now go get ready for your date." He pushed the ex-watcher out of the room and toward the door.

Arriving at Miss Parker's hotel suite, Wesley noticed his knees were shaking. Sydney opened the door and smiled at him. "How's she doing?" Wes asked.

"She's doing quite well thanks to you. It helped a lot that she got here quickly."

Just then Parker came into the room in a very form-fitting black velvet dress with a modest neckline and spaghetti straps. Her high-heeled sandals showed off her long long legs to perfection. She had piled her hair high on her head, the better to show off a gorgeous pair of earrings, probably family heirlooms. Wes gulped. What could a woman like this see in him? Obviously nothing but gratitude. She glanced at her diamond watch and smiled at Wes. "Perfect. You're exactly on time. I really appreciate promptness."

"If there's anything I am, it's prompt!" Wes stammered. Mentally, he hit himself on the head. Stupid, stupid, stupid!!! She took his arm, kissed Sydney on the cheek, and headed for the elevator, waving back at Broots, who had a wistful look on his face.

Parker had made reservations at the hotel's elegant dining room. Wes snuck a peek at the credit card in his pocket. Thank God it's platinum!  How was he going to explain this expense to Angel, though? He'd have to get a part-time job or something. Maybe one of the universities or museums could use a translator of ancient languages. Parker smiled at his discomfort. "Don't worry, Wes, The Centre is paying for this. I'm one of their top people." She noticed the crest on his blazer. "You're a watcher?" she asked incredulously.

"Ex-watcher, actually. I forgot the crest was still on this. I left them after I disagreed with a number of their methods."

"Oh, yes, I remember now. You disagreed with them about the Slayers and about Angel."

"How do you know that?" Wes asked before he could stop himself. He was stunned that she would know this.

"One of the things the Centre is famous for is information gathering. But let's not discuss business tonight. Let's have fun!" She gave him a big smile, showing perfect teeth. She's so gorgeous, he thought.

Parker, to her credit, graciously accepted some of Wesley's suggestions regarding her dinner choices and also limited herself to one drink. They found that they had a number of common interests, including fencing. Both of them had been champions in school; they agreed to a bout the next day. An orchestra was playing, and Parker asked him to dance. She nestled close to him, provoking a most unexpected and totally embarrassing reaction in him. "Another virgin!" Parker thought. If she let it go that far, he'd be her third. First Jarod, then Lindsey back in college, and now Wesley. How did such a good looking man who had to be about her age stay so innocent? And just what was the relationship between him and the brunette he had taken to the funeral?

She hadn't had to worry. Wes had taken her to her door and put out his hand to shake hers. She leaned over and kissed him. He turned bright red. "Good night, Miss Parker. I had a wonderful time." He looked like a deer trapped in headlights.

"Don't forget our bout tomorrow. I'll pick you up. Give me your address." Then she smiled and entered her room. Wesley stood there a moment and then headed for home. He didn't sleep much, though. He kept remembering the feel of her body against his and the heady scent of her perfume.

After saying goodnight to Sydney, who was reading, and Broots, who was watching some strange television show and writing to his daughter, Debbie, who was home with a sitter while he was in LA, she went into her room, dressed for bed, poured herself a drink that was stronger than the one she had had at dinner, and opened a book that she had hidden in a secret compartment of her suitcase. It was her mother's diary.

"Something is going on. My husband won't tell me, but he is very excited and a little awed. William Raines won't tell me either, not that I thought he would. He hates me, and I don't trust him. Poor Sydney would tell me, but he's very much out of the loop and very busy with poor little Jarod. Maybe his twin brother Jacob knows something. All I know is it's something very rare and unbelievable. They call it Angel, but somehow I don't think it has to do with God's heavenly messengers. Whatever it is, they can't be up to any good. The sooner I can get my daughter out of this place, the better. I'll find someplace where they can't track us."

Could it be? Parker wondered. Could this possibly be the same Angel that she had heard only whispers about. That would make him about Sydney's age. It was such a coincidence that she had happened to cross paths with Angel's right hand man. She read on:

"I have found out a little more, but it's not much. Angel is a prisoner down in Sub Level 27. I'll have to figure out a way to get down there. I know that Jacob knows more than he'll tell me. I have to convince him to tell me more. Jacob and Sydney are two of the decent people left here, and I know they want to protect my little girl and me, but I can't let this rest. I just can't let people suffer."

Parker read on. About five days later, her mother had written something startling.

"I happened to catch an elevator that was going down to SL27. Although I had to get off at SL2, I saw that they were taking a large quantity of chilled blood down there. I wonder if someone is hurt. I overheard a whisper saying that it was for Angel. I have to get down there somehow. Maybe I can do it while the Triumverate is having one of their staff meetings."

The next few days' entries were filled with entries about her daughter, her ballet lesson and her piano recital. Catherine Parker had been very proud of her little girl. Parker's eyes filled with tears. She missed her mother so, especially as she had come to realize that her mother had not committed suicide but had in fact been murdered by someone in The Centre before she could rescue any more of the poor children like Jarod. She put her head down on the pillow for a moment and fell asleep.

The next morning Parker woke feeling pretty good. She had only had one strong and one weak drink the night before, and hadn't smoked at all. Maybe Wesley was a good influence on her! Entering the living room, she was gratified to see that Broots had ordered breakfast for them from room service. She poured herself a large glass of milk (which she hated but was good for her ulcer) and lit a cigarette. "Broots! Thanks for getting breakfast." Broots blushed. Parker wondered how he ever managed to marry and to father a child. However, he was a devoted father to his daughter Debbie and a truly loyal friend to Sydney and her. "Any news about Jarod?" Broots shook his head. Parker sat on the couch and nibbled at a piece of toast. Sydney appeared, dapper as ever, and enjoyed a hearty breakfast.

"Parker, you stay in and rest today. Broots and I will go on the hunt for Jarod. You had a bad attack." Broots nodded in agreement; he wished he could take care of her, but he knew deep in his heart that he could never get anywhere with her.

"Let's all work hard this morning. I have a fencing match with Wesley this afternoon. Just because he was a champion in England, he thinks he can beat me! I'll show him!"

"I don't think it's a good idea, Parker." Broots nodded in agreement, but she just raised her hand to stop them.

"Okay, Broots, start punching up the latest Jarod sightings." Broots booted up the PC and went to work. About noon Parker went to her room and dressed. Calling down to the desk, she ordered her rented red Mustang convertible to be brought to the door. Then she headed off for Wesley's apartment.

As it turned out, Wesley and Parker were almost evenly matched. His extra reach compensated for her quickness. Both of them fenced like chess players, staying two moves ahead. Wesley got the first touch. "A hit, a hit, a most palpable hit!" He quoted Hamlet.

"Whoa, Wes, don't forget what happened to Hamlet & Laertes! This is just for fun."

Parker's skills were just a little fresher, and she won three hits to two. She pulled off her mask and looked at Wesley. Sweat was pouring down his face, but he was still one of the best looking men she had seen in a long time. Pulling him close to her, she kissed him hard. Then again and again. At first he didn't know what to do with his arms, but then he encircled her with them. She threw her head back and smiled. Then, slowly, she opened the top of his uniform and ran her fingers across his chest. She peeled off his jacket and threw it on the floor. Then she started to undo his pants. She knelt in front of him, but he drew her to his feet.

"No," he could barely gasp, "not here, not now. Somewhere special. Somewhere worthy of you." He was so sweet, and, yes, innocent. Such a romantic! She couldn't imagine how he got the strength to resist.

"All right then, change, but change quickly. I know a place." Although she always stayed in a hotel when she went anywhere on official Centre business, she had kept the apartment she had in college. That was the place where she had initiated Lindsey into the joys of passion; he had been such a good student.

She had been right about Wesley. He was a virgin. But, like Lindsey, he was a fast learner. When they were finished, he recited Shakespearean sonnets to her. She hadn't really cared much for them when she studied them in school, but his British accent made them sound glorious. Eventually she realized that she was hungry; neither of them had had lunch, and Wesley hadn't had breakfast either. One of the disadvantages of an apartment that was used maybe once a year was that there was never any food in it. So they ordered Chinese. Lying in bed, they fed each other sesame chicken and hunan beef until they were hungry for each other.

Before they could fall asleep, though, a cell phone rang. Actually, both cell phones went off almost simultaneously. Broots thought he had found Jarod. Angel needed Wes to translate a parchment. They shared a quick shower that ended up taking longer than they had planned, but not as long as they wanted. She drove him to Angel Investigations and went back to the hotel.

Actually the person who had been seen was only someone who looked like Jarod. He was an out-of-work actor who had been hired as a double for a character in a movie, he thought. The guy who hired him looked almost enough like him to be his twin. All he had to do was to go to an apartment in midtown and wait. "Damn him! He ruined a wonderful evening," Parker moaned. She realized how much fun she had had with Wes & how much she wanted to see him again. But it was too late now. She went to her bedroom and pulled her mother's diary out of its hiding place. She began to read.

"Tonight I may have a chance to go to SL27 and see this Angel. I can't imagine who he is or what they're going to do to him, but he must be sick. Otherwise why are they bringing in so much blood? Sydney has convinced Jacob to help me, while Sydney will protect my little girl. I hope everything is all right."

Parker read on, fascinated. Then she gave a gasp of shock. This can't be true! Her mother must have imagined it. It just can't be!

"With Jacob's help, I found the cell where Angel is being kept. He's not a child but a young man, maybe in his early twenties. I was able to get in. He seemed to be sleeping, but I bent over him to be sure he was all right. The cross I wear around my neck just brushed his cheek. Suddenly it started to burn. He screamed and would have strangled me if he hadn't been chained to the bed. And his face changed into a horrible mask, complete with fangs. What have they done to him? They changed him into a vampire!"

On to Part TWO.